Collapsible box or case



July 20, 1937. w J. BEASL-EY ET AL r 2,087,496

COLLAPSIBLE'BOX OR CASE Filed Sept. 25, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l W w :rosgpk BEQSIEH John WaH-er SumwuQY mvriw'rofis July 20,1937. w. J. BEASLEY ET AL 2 087,4 6

COLLAPSIBLE BOX OR CASE Filed Sept. 25, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wa H'ev Joseph Beasley .Tohn Wa|+e-r ummevs lNVENTOlE S July- 20, 1937. w. J. B EASLEY ET A1. 2,087,496

' COLLAPSIBLE BOX OR CASE Filed Sept. 25, 1955 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 k a 5 Wal-Fev Toseyak fieqsle Hn WaH-cv Summers Patented July 20, 1937 UNHE'ED STATES PATENT QFFEQE COLLAPSIBLE BOX OR CASE Walter Joseph Beasley,

Kew, Victoria, and John Walter Summers, Bentleigh, Victoria, Australia 9 Claims.

This invention relates to boxes, cases, crates and the like (all hereinafter called boxes) and particularly to boxes of the type in which the sides and ends are foldably connected to the base in such manner that when the box is empty, said sides and ends may be collapsed and the parts arranged so that they occupy minimum space for storage and/or transport.

One object of this invention is to provide a collapsible box of simple construction which is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and in which maximum packing space is provided with minimum external dimensions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a collapsible box which is light, strong and dudable and which may be rapidly and easily erected and collapsed.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a collapsible box in which all the meeting edges of the base, walls and top are protected in such manner that unauthorized interference with the contents is readily apparent, thus minimizing the risk of undetected pilferage.

Another object of this invention is toprovide a box having a lid which is connected to a wall of the box in such manner that it may be arranged to close the box or be moved endwise and swung to a position in which it does not obstruct access to the box interior.

A still further object of this invention is to provide novel locking means for the box top.

In this specification to simplify description two foldable walls are called sides and two other foldable walls are called ends but such terms are not arbitrary.

Boxes according to this invention comprise a base having a shallow peripheral upstanding flange, side walls hingedly connected to the said base by suitable hinges, end walls each having inwardly extending flanges arranged to overlap the sides and each hingedly connected to the base so that it may be folded and superposed on a side, and a top which has a downwardly pro jecting peripheral flange, the said flanges being so arranged that when the box is erected they protect all the meeting edges at the box corners and so that when the box is collapsed the flanges of the bottom and top enclose the sides and ends.

The box top is slidably connected to an end in such manner that it may be moved endwise relatively thereto without being disconnected, and swung to an upright position in which it does not obstruct packing. The said connection constitutes a means for retaining one end of the top in position when the box is erected and when it is collapsed and suitable fastening means may be provided to lock the other end of the top so that it may be sealed in both erected and collasped positions.

To enable the invention to be more readily understood practical embodiments thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of one form of box according to this invention, in erected position.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the box shown in Fig. 1, showing also (in broken lines) the lid in different positions.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the box shown in Fig. 1, in collapsed position.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the means shown in Fig. 2 for connecting angle members to the base, and means for hingedly connecting the sides to the base.

Fig. 5 is a plan of the parts shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified box.

Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section of the box shown in Fig. 6. v

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of part of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of means for connecting a side to an end when the parts are in erected position.

Fig. 10 is a detail front elevation of means for locking the lid.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a further modified box.

Fig. 12 is a vertical longitudinal section of the box shown in Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a detail perspective View of the modifled hinge as shown in Figs. '7 and 12. i

Fig. 14 is a vertical sectional View of the parts in Fig. 13 in folded position, another position being shown in broken lines.

2! is the base or floor, 22 are sides, 23 are ends, and 24 is the top of the box.

The said base, sides, ends and top may be formed of laminated material or sheet metal or any other suitable material and may be reinforced in any suitable manner.

The base 2! has a peripheral upstanding flange 25, the ends 23 have inwardly extending side flanges 26, and the top 24 has a downwardly ex- 50 tending flange 21. As illustrated all the said flanges are one web of an angular member the other web of which is fixed temporarily or permanently to the base, end or top as the case may be, but when any said box part is formed of 55,

V placed or repaired.

therewith.

In one arrangement each member of flange extends from a web 25 which is so connected to the base 2| that it may be readily detached to permit the base or any part thereof to be re- In this case headed studs 28 which are fixed to web 25 each pass through a hole in the base and above the base each stud has a hole .to receive a rod Zit -which is embraced by hinge members 28* that are connected to a box side. In another arrangement the webs 25 are fixed on the base. In this case an elon gated wire loop 29 is connected to the base and to a side respectively by sheet metal clips 29?; Loops 29 permit the sides, when folded, to take either of two positions (see Fig. 14) so that each side lies flat on the other irrespective of which is folded first.

. The ends 23 are pivotally connected to flanges 25 in such manner that they may be folded compactly over the sides 22. The lower end of each flange 26 is extended to form a lug 36 which is pivotally connected to a convenient part of the base flange 25 by a rivet 3|.

Means are provided to hold the sides and ends in relative position when the box is erected, to prevent collapse before and during packing. Such means may be a pivoted hook 32 having a part 32 to engage recess in the upper end of each flange 25 and the adjacent part of'each side 22.

The box top or lid 24 is of such'siz'e that its peripheral flange 2! fits over the sides and ends in both erected and in collapsed position.

The top 24 is slidably supported so that it may I be moved endwise and then swung to an'upright position so that it will not impede packing of the box. In one'case (see Figs. 1 and 2) each side of flange 2'! has a longitudinal slot 33 the edges 'of the slot being suitably reinforced as at 33 Each slot 33 slidably engages a stud 33 that ex- 7 tends from the upper part of a flange 26-.

In another case (Figs. 6 and 7) a bail 34 has downturned ends 34 each of wl'n'ch is'pivotally connected to the upper end of a fl'ange'25'by a pivot pin 34 (on which may be a runner disc 34). The bail 34 extends over the top 2 1 which is slidable below the bail.

In still another arrangement (Figs. 11 and 12) guides 35 fixed to the underside of the top 24 are engaged by a slide plate 35 that is hinged to a plate 35 fixed "to an end 23. When the top is moved endwise relatively to the box body the guides 35 move relatively to plate 35 The means for slidably connecting the top 24 to one end 23 constitute a fastening means .for one end of the top and means may be provided to secure the other end of the top in both erected and collapsed positions. One such means includes asocket 35 on the lid flange 2"! which is adapted, when the box is erected, to house an enlargement on a member 3E3? fixed to the exterior of the complementary box end and when the box is collapsed, to engage a part 36 in the flange 25. The socket 355 has apertures 38 which register with apertures in member 36 or part 35 respectively to receive a securing and sealing means as'a strip 31 having a head 31 atone end 2, '7 and 12. After packing the lid is returned to normal position and maybe locked by strip 31. When the box is empty it may be collapsed by setting the top in upright position, disengaging clips 32 and then folding the sides and ends over the base and arranging the top so that the folded parts are within flange 21 as shown in Fig. 3.

We claimz- 7 1. A collapsible box comprising a base having an upstanding peripheral flange, sides hinged to the base, ends hinged to the base, a flange carried by each end'at each corner of the box said flange overlying the adjacent sides and ends of said corner and movable with said end and a top having a downwardly extending peripheral flange which is outside the sides and ends in both erected and collapsed position.

2. A collapsible box as in claim 1 in which the :flanges of the bas'eiare one web of angle shaped members the other web of each of which is detachably. connected to the base.

3. A collapsible; box as in claim 1 in which 7 extend through holes in the base and are secured by a retaining member which passes through a hole in each said stud, and means for hingedly connecting aside to said retaining member.

5. A collapsible box asin claim 1 in which. g

each sidei's connected to the base by loose hinges in such manner that either side may restflatly ,on the other when in folded position.

,6. A collapsible box asin claim 1 in which each side is connected to the base byhinges;

comprising an elongated loop, a clip engaging one long side of the loop and connected to the base,

and a clip engaging the other long side of the loop and connected to" a side the arrangement being such that either side may fold flatly over the base or over the other side.

'7. A collapsible box as in claim 1 in which each flange that projects from each end is extended downwardly to form a lug that is pivotally connected to the base flange. V

' 8'. A collapsible box comprising a base, sides and ends hinged to the said base and arranged to be 7 folded over'sai'd base or to be erected at right angles thereto, a peripheral flange on the said base, inwardly extending flanges at each side'of each end, a lid, a peripheral flange on saidlid,

a keeper bar extending over said lid, downward 1y turned ends on the said keeper bar, and means to pivotally connect each end of said keeper bar to a flange that extends inwardly from a box end.

9. A collapsible box comprising a base, sides and ends hinged to the said base and arranged to be folded over said base or to be erected at right angles thereto, a peripheral flange on the said base, an inwardly extending flange at each side of each end, a lid, aperipheral flange on said lid, a

plate hinged to the upper part of an end and spaced apart guides fixed to the underside of the box lid, and slidably engaged by said plate.

WALTER JOSEPH BEASLEY.

JOHN WALTER SUMMERS. 

